In Depth Commentary

Pompeii, 79 A.D.

A More Permanent Hell - LaCroix returns
to Pompeii after completing a campaign in Gaul, to find his daughter strangely
changed. During the eruption of Vesuvius, Divia asks him whether he wants
to live or die. His choice is to live, and Divia makes him a vampire.

Vesuvius erupted on August 24, A.D. 79, burying Pompeii and Herculaneum
in ash. Not a pleasant way to go, the ash was so heavy that people suffocated
quickly. Since this happened during the daytime, my question is, how did
Divia and LaCroix escape?

Egypt, 99 A.D.

Ashes to Ashes -Divia takes LaCroix
to the tomb of Aya-Hotep and reveals she has killed her master. She attempts
to persuade LaCroix to become her lover, reasoning that they are beyond
mortal mores. In his appalled horror, LaCroix beheads Divia and buries
her there.

LaCroix tells Nick that "twenty years after Pompeii, I thought her dead
and buried along with the guilt -- and the secret that one dare not share."
This of course places the flashback in A.D. 99, in the Valley of the Kings,
Egypt.

Paris, c. 1070-1100

A Fate Worse Than Death -LaCroix offers
Janette a chance for revenge and freedom from her life of prostitution,
by making her a vampire.

Both the timestamp and the location are provided by dialogue; Janette's
friend Anna says that if she had conceived by her husband she would "still
be married in England instead of a prostitute in Paris," and Janette tells
Nick in the present day that nothing has changed in "a thousand years."
If Janette shares Nick's habit of rounding off centuries, it may be slightly
later than 1100.

Wales, 1220

Queen of Harps -Nicolas de Brabant
is framed for Gwyneth's murder when he makes the mistake of falling in
love with her. His only chance to avoid death is provided by Lord DeLabarre
who arranges amnesty for him on the condition he join the Crusades and
liberate Jerusalem. Nick, reluctantly, agrees.

This is our earliest encounter with a mortal Nick, and obviously takes
places several years prior to his being brought across. Nick has to have
time to travel to Jerusalem and return to Paris prior to his fatal encounter
with Janette. We can assume several months travel time each way. This narrows
the time to between 1218 and 1225. Gillian Horvath, who wrote the script,
however states Queen of Harps took place in 1220.

Paris, 1228

Dance by the Light of the Moon - The
first time in the series (chronologically) that we see Nick as a mortal
man; but not for long. Janette lures him from a banquet where he seems
to have gotten very tanked and very bored, seduces him, and turns him over
to LaCroix.

Near Death -Nick is brought across
by LaCroix. As he hovers between life and (un)death, he is given the choice
to die or return. Nick cannot resist the temptation (naturally) to know
what life is like as a vampire.

This takes place immediately following the events in Dance by the Light
of the Moon. Some have questioned whether it was the same night or not,
since Janette's attire has changed. I suspect this is due to the 18 month
gap between season 1 and 2, and the loss of the wardrobe, more than anything
else. Nick is after all, still in the nightie that he was wearing while
frolicking with Janette. Perhaps she got dressed so Nick could concentrate
on what LaCroix had to say, since Nick's so easily distracted, but it probably
didn't help. We know he didn't hear the full disclosure statement.

Dark Knight -Nick's first night
as a vampire; he makes his first kill, encouraged by LaCroix and Janette.

This was an easy one to place, since they gave us the date and place
in print on the screen in the very first scene of the series. There is
also a brief clip in "I Will Repay" that was a part of the "Dark Knight"
sequences in the Canadian-aired cut.

Killer Instinct -LaCroix teaches
Nick to find him by following the "vibration" felt between master vampire
and convert.

Curiouser and Curiouser -Nick dallies
over his dinner during his first week of feeding, and finds that while
the blood isn't bothering him, something is. LaCroix gently warns him that
he must shed his mortal mores or there will be consequences.

This is truly Nick through the looking-glass, because he has a flashback
in the middle of a delusion or hallucination. LaCroix tells him that his
first week of feeding has gone well, nailing down the time and place, before
going on to discuss Nick's lingering guilt.

Brabant, c. 1228-1230

Be My Valentine - Nick returns home
to see his mother and sister one last time. Unexpectedly, LaCroix falls
for Nick's sister. In order to save her life, Nick makes a very bad bargain
with LaCroix, agreeing that if he should ever love a mortal...well you
get the drift.

Another easy one to date. Nick tells LaCroix he isn't going to disappear
without seeing his mother and sister one more time. I suspect this happened
very shortly after Nick became a vampire and he was still in the process
of "letting go his mortal bonds." That places it within a couple of years
after being brought across -- at least in my book.

France, c. 1247

Fallen Idol - Nick returns at Fleur's
death to care for her son Andre. LaCroix is amused at Nick's naiveté
in believing that Andre will still love him when Nick reveals his nature.
LaCroix takes matters into his own hands to makes sure Andre really understands
who and what his Uncle Nick is.

The script dates this one as 1274, but I believe it was a typo in the
script. In Be My Valentine, Fleur has grown up, but is not yet married.
Since Nick has been gone since around 1220, that put BMV at the latest
in 1230. Fleur's son, Andre looked to approximately ten to twelve years
old. Based on that, 1247 is a much more believable date.

Partners of the Month - Nick
and Janette begin their 98 years together.

France, 1428-31

For I Have Sinned -Nick meets the
girl who will become known as Joan of Arc on her way to meet with the Dauphin,
and again on the eve of her execution. On both occasions he debates with
her about spiritual vs. actual immortality, and is very bothered by what
she has to say.

Also easy to place, thanks to the presence of a historical personage.
The first meeting was somewhere between Domremy and Vaucouleur, probably
close to the former; Joan was executed at Rouen in 1431.

Europe (probably France), c. 1440-60

Dead Air -Janette and LaCroix terrorize
and finally kill a man bound to a chair, apparently as a substitute for
LaCroix's father. Nick observes the proceedings in disgust.

This one is tough because the whole sequence is in one room, removed
from the mortal world. The key was when it dawned on me that Nick is in
what appears to be the same outfit as when he had last spoken to Joan,
but it's a wreck and so is he. LaCroix's comments indicate that Nick has
not been with them in some time, and his disheveled condition indicates
that he has been living on the fringes, possibly as a result of the doubts
raised by his debates with Joan. As for my approximate dating, it's based
mostly on the gown and headdress on our favorite immortal fashion plate.
This will henceforth be referred to as Janette-dating, just because it's
late and I'm in a silly mood.

Thanks to the timely observations of Leslie GS, this one has
been narrowed down from 1440-60 to 1435-48. SHe points out, that the
flashback from Trophy Girl takes place in 1448 and Nick has spiffed up
by then.

France, c. 1448

Trophy Girl -Nick is troubled by LaCroix'
dalliance with Liselle. Her beauty haunts him and he wants to save her
from from death at LaCroix' hands. Nick attempts to convince her to
leave, but Liselle doesn't believe him and playfully seduces him. It's
too much for Nick's control and he kills her.

The script gives us the date for this flashback, but it doesn't tell
us where, beyond a castle keep. Based on the fact that Liselle is speaking
French, I believe this takes place in France. It makes sense within the
timeline, since all earlier flashbacks occur in Paris and France, once
Nick becomes a vampire. As for the clothes, I could find precedents for
both Nick and LaCroix's outfits (Nick's jerkin belted with metal belts
and LaCroix's surcote) to tie it to the script date.

Hertogenbosch, Holland, c. 1490-1516

Dead Issue -Nick learns that a young
artist's model, Ilse, was raped by the master painter but believes herself
guilty of seduction. He is unable to convince her otherwise, and she commits
suicide by poison.

The master painter's tunic and Ilse's gown indicate both the period
and a northern European location, most likely Holland as it was a leading
force in early Renaissance art. The period is reinforced by Ilse's conviction
that her rape by the master painter was her fault, an attitude that was
most prevalent, and in fact actively endorsed by the Church, at that time.
The timeframe is further narrowed by the lifetime of Hieronymous Bosch
(1450-1516), who is the master painter. Nick refers to him as Master Bosch,
and he is painting the rather recognizable "Garden of Earthly Delights."
Hieronymous Bosch lived in Hertogenbosch, a provincial town located in
the modern Netherlands close to the Belgian border, all his life.

Italy or Germany, c. 1510-1519

Partners of the Month -Janette decides
to leave Nicolas after 98 years of life together. Nicolas, feeling angry
and betrayed, keeps a painting of Janette by Leonardo, much to her dismay.

Janette informs Nick that she will commission another painting when
she sees Leonardo, during their argument. From this I concluded Leonardo
must still be alive. Since we know that Da Vinci's life spanned from 1452
to 1519, this gives us a timeframe. After that I fell back on Janette-dating.
Janette's ruff is a sign of Spanish influence which came around 1540.
There is a discrepancy between the dialog and the clothes, so I decided to
go with the dialog. I placed this towards the end of Leonardo's life,
somewhere between 1510 and 1519 to get it as close as possible to the clothing
style. When I first published this timeline I received a serious argument
for late 1500's, based on Janette's clothing, and the idea it was possible
Janette had forgotten or didn't know Leonardo was dead. It was also suggested
that Germany would be a good location based on the clothing style and color.
I still prefer Italy because of the references to Leonardo and the fact
that Nick spoke Italian.

Austria, 1528

Dead of Night -Nick weds Alyssa von
Linz and on their wedding night attempts to bring her across to be his
eternal companion. It is his first try and when he fails, he begs LaCroix
to save her. LaCroix tells him that not even he can revive an ember that
has burned out. He leaves, reminding Nick to "not take too much."

The script tells us Dead of Night takes place in 1528. Nick's dashing
outfit with the upper stocks and padded doublet with slashed sleeves fits
right into a description of what was being worn in 1530. LaCroix once again
is wearing something a little less high fashion, but his surcote appears
to match the time. As for where it takes place, possibly Austria or Germany
since Alyssa's last name is von Linz.

Italy, c. 1530-1570

Crazy Love -Nick finds the perfect
lover. Amalia loves Nick and wants to give herself to him completely. Nick
knows that this will eventually lead to her death, but cannot bring himself
to part from her. And finally, when Nick takes too much, she dies happily
in his arms.

This one is tough to date. However, I looked at Amalia's caps and believe
that this took place either in France or Italy. In England, woman were
wearing hoods and gabled headdress, which entirely concealed their hair
(not too mention their necks). In Italy, the caps were more decorative
at this time. The full sleeves and dress suggest the period between 1530
and 1570. Nick's attire seems to suggest a later time-frame than Amalia,
since he is wearing breeches rather than hose. However, his short fitted
jacket fits the time frame.

Lake Titicaca, the Andes, 1531

Black Buddha, Part 2 -Vachon meets
his death at the hands of the Inca after fierce battle. They are both brought
across by Angel, and during the night, taught what they need to know to
survive. She then gives them her final orders, and walks into the sun.
Vachon and the Inca bury themselves in the dirt for the day. That
night, Vachon rises first and wanting to be free, runs a tree through the
Inca and leaves believing (erroneously) he's killed him.

This one is a ...er dead give-away, since Vachon tells us the date.
The year is 1531, and he is running messages at a battle at Lake Titicaca
when he is brought across.

Spain, 1578

Sons of Belial - Nick and LaCroix are
taken in the night and thrown into prison to await interrogation by the
Inquisition. Nick's compassion leads him to reveal the vampire to save
a fellow inmate, Ario, from certain death. When the jailers attempt to
kill Nick and LaCroix, Ario returns the favor and saves them.

What a place to be--in Spain, in jail--and in the hands of the Inquisition!
The script tells us that this is placed in 1578, and the clothing certainly
bears that out. Nick is wearing clothing in the style of court dress, with
the ruff and double or false sleeve. LaCroix's clothing is more traditional
for the time, and probably more comfortable than that ruff. Guess we know
who the fashion plate is, don't we?

France, c. 1620-1640

Blood Money - Double dealing abounds
when Nick and his partner-in-crime murder the Dauphin, after successfully
extorting money from the King in a kidnapping plot. After meeting up with
LaCroix and Janette, Nick--wanting the money for himself--turns the table
on his partner. Nick kills his partner after a great sword fight (which
Nick loses), despite LaCroix' warning that the money will be a curse.

Another tough one. But the bucket-top leather boots (love 'em), linen
collar, and vertically slashed sleeves were popular in the early 1600's.
Not only that, in the 1620's and 1630's men grew their hair longer to lie
on the shoulder. Certainly looks like what Nick is wearing, and very well
too . The reference to the Dauphin places the story in France
(however historically inaccurate an event).

American Colonies, c. 1640-1690

Dying to Know You - Nick accidentally
allows Matthew, a farmer with whom he has been staying, to see him fly.
He makes a failed attempt to block Matthew's memory and refuses to explain
what he is. Believing himself mad or possessed (interchangeable ideas in
that time and place), Matthew hangs himself.

One of the times when it would be helpful to have Janette or somebody
female, as women's fashions change about twice as fast as men's. The location
is only a guess; my best clue to time and place is Matthew's beliefs, Puritan
or something very similar. Nick's comment that "devout men are not troubled
by such things" hints that it may be around the Salem lunacy (1690's),
when a great many devout men were troubled by such things.

London, 1665

Fever - A doctor, Gerald Archer, struggling
to aid plague victims notices that Nick and LaCroix are unafraid of the
plague. In desperation he comes to them and pleads for help--any help--to
ensure he will live so he can continue to treat people. With his "consent
freely given," LaCroix allows Nick to bring him across. But immortality
changes Gerald's priorities and he takes lives rather than saving them. Nick,
dismayed, feels he has destroyed Gerald by bringing him across. Before
long the Gerald is killed by the mortals he disdains.

While the script tells us the flashback occurs in 1660, the great plague
of London actually occurred in 1664-1665. So I looked at the costuming
to double-check. LaCroix' dress is actually the most helpful in determining
the date. He is wearing a doublet and breeches that were worn from approximately
1625-1635. In the Doctor's plain outfit we can also see the influence from
the Dutch that was prevalent at the time. LaCroix places the flashback
in Fever for us with the phrase "London used to be such a nice city."

England, c. 1660-1670

Fatal Mistake - Nick believes he has
killed a tavern maid, Alexandra, and LaCroix scoffs at his remorse. Unknown
to Nick, LaCroix ensures that Alexandra becomes a vampire by giving her
his own blood.

Another case where the costuming provides the period and hints at the
location. Nick and LaCroix are clearly differentiated from the trio whose
table they take. It would be difficult to find another time and place where
fashion statements were quite so politically charged; Nick and LaCroix
would be seen as supporting the King, a camouflage that is echoed by the
officers' uniforms in WWII London.

Note: I have had an argument that Fatal Mistake may have taken place
between 1642 and 1652 when the Puritan Roundheads defeating the Royalist
Cavaliers based on the clothing styles. The pearl drop earring one that
one of the men chased off by LaCroix hits they could have been Royalists
(or at least not for Cromwell), and that LaCroix's plainer clothing could
have signified his backing of Cromwell since they were...er winning. And
we all know LaCroix's penchant to back the winning team .

Canada, c. 1720-1790

Blackwing - Vachon's love of a good
fight leads him to fight with the Missisaugua during the Queen Anne's Campaign.
When they are successful in obtaining a treaty, Vachon is one of the signers,
but the party is later ambushed and the treaty stolen.

Vachon's voice-over is actually more helpful than the flashback itself.
From his narration we learn it occurred over 200 years ago during the Queen
Anne's Campaign of the French and Indian Wars. Based on where the Campaign
took place, the flashback occurred in eastern Canada, probably near where
Toronto would later be built.

Colonial America, c. 1740s

Undue Process - Nick endures a lynch-mob
hanging for a murder he did not commit, then exacts revenge from the leaders
of the mob as a "ghost".

Place from accents, time from clothing, and a healthy dash of pure intuition
on my part.

Cote du Rhone, Avignon, France, 1755

Francesca - When LaCroix introduces
Nick to his "sister" Francesca, the attraction is mutual. Francesca
kills a musician whom Nick admires, to savor his "talent", and Nick spurns
her, appalled by her practice. Nick realizes that the other musicians are
in danger and goes to free them. When Francesca attempts to stop him,
Nick kills her.

This one is very easy to do. Both the date and place were given by Frank/Francesca
under hypnosis. The year was 1755 and the place Avignon, France, the Cote
du Rhone to be really precise.

England, c. 1790s

Last Act - Nick and another vampire,
Erica, are part of a traveling troupe of players. Erica tells him of her
plan to do away with herself when she tires of life and becomes "a burden"
(a plan she carries out in present-day Toronto at the beginning of the
episode).

This is a little tricky, as the theatre costumes are slightly earlier
than the gown we see Erica wearing in the last section of flashback, dancing
with her doll. That one falls during the transition between the heavily
structured bodices and panniers of the Revolution era, and the simpler
"Empire" style. I was tempted to think the sequences had a substantial
span of time between them, but I think the play was set earlier than the
time they were performing it; or perhaps the costumes were refurbished
castoffs of an earlier style.

Background c. 1790-1801

False Witness - Apparently in this
time frame Janette and Nicholas knew the Marquis de Sade as Janette
tells us "You want to arrest a tawdry little pornographer, when we
saw the Marquis de Sade." de Sade was out of prison or the insane
asylum during this time (except between Dec 1793 to Oct 1794). This
places our vampires in Paris at the same time as the French Revolution
and the Reign of Terror.

Spain, 1792

My Boyfriend is a Vampire - Vachon,
Screed, and Bourbon take some local tavern wenches into the barn for a
deadly roll in the hay.

Another tough one to place from clothing because the clothing belongs
to people in the working class, which is not as well documented as the
aristocracy. However the coat Vachon is wearing and the waist-coat that
ends at the waist help place it in between 1760 and 1800. The script says
1792. The script states this flashback takes place in Spain. The only thing
I know for sure is that it takes place in a barn or some similar building.

Germany or Austria, c. 1800-1820

If Looks Could Kill - A vain Baroness
has discovered Nick's secret and asks him to bring her over in order to
preserve her youth. He refuses, only to discover later that Janette was
more obliging.

The Baroness is wearing the Empire style (mentioned above in Last Act).
In the present-day story the Baroness is going by "Sophia Jurgen;" if she
followed the pattern established by Nick and others we have seen, the given
name is probably hers but the surname probably isn't. However, "Baroness"
is a title usually associated with Germanic nobility, and if Jurgen is
not her original surname she probably did choose one to match her origins.

France, c. 1820s

Capital Offense - Nick takes refuge
from a mob (it is unclear whether they know they are hunting a vampire)
in a root cellar, aided by Marise, a young nun. LaCroix kills the nun and
otherwise makes the usual insufferable nuisance of himself.

Marise has a music box that plays Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" (op.
101, 1816), which belonged to her mother. Mass production of music boxes
began in the 1820s (making them the CD singles of their day); Nick's coat
in particular is no later than early 1830s.

Coast of Ireland or England, c. 1825-1830

I Will Repay - Elizabeth, a leper,
steals a fish and is stabbed by the fishermen. Nick finds her dying on
the beach and brings her over, but is forced to destroy her when she proves
to be murderously uncontrollable.

Elizabeth and the fishermen are not exactly fashion plates, and we don't
get as good a look at Nick's clothes as I would like, but I'm going by
what I could get from that.

England, c. 1830s

False Witness - While Nick and LaCroix
argue about music and souls, Janette lures a young musician, Sarah Fergus,
outside and kills. Nick tries to defend the girl's friend, John Underwood,
when he is blamed for the murder.

Another case of Janette-dating. Spanish influence, ankle-length taffeta
with what sounds like two or three petticoats but no hoops. (Yes, this
does get easier as we get closer to the present--good guess! :-) ) Very
much the cutting edge of fashion, and probably a little daring to more
conservative ladies like the extras in the courtroom. I'd be in trouble
if I had to judge by Nick and LaCroix, as those outfits could be anywhere
in the first half of the nineteenth century.

Geneva, Switzerland, 1830

Let No Man Tear Asunder - Nick's search
for a cure finds him taking electric voltage from Hans, a forward-thinking
scientist. But things fall apart when Han's fiancee is mortally wounded
when horses spooked by Nick's presence run her down. Han's, unable to live
without Veronica, demands Nick get her a new heart. Nick's reluctantly
obtains the heart from a murderous prostitute. But Veronica, in shock,
believing her voice is gone, kills herself.

Men's clothing was in the time period where changes are hard to see,
but I believe Nick is wearing a Frock coat, and the shirt collars that
were in vogue at the time. The womens dresses also seem to bear out the
time period. Where are they? The script says Geneva, Switzerland.

England, c. 1840s

Hunters - Nick, LaCroix, and Janette
are trapped in a barn by vampire hunters. LaCroix is shot through the wall
and they poke a torch through at Janette. Pushed over the edge, Nick goes
out of control and kills the group (five, I think.)

Just to bear out what I said above, Nick and LaCroix are dressed almost
exactly as they were in "False Witness". Janette-dating! A more tailored
bodice with a longer waist; and I suspect she got rid of a hoop skirt before
they started running. Hoops were still of modest diameter at this time--it
would be about ten years before the look we associate with Scarlett O'Hara.
I'm guessing England, since we know that Hunted which takes places in the
same time period probably occurred in England.

England, c. 1840s

Hunted - LaCroix gives his children
a lesson in "hunting the hunter"--a mortal hunting for meat too long after
dark--in the wilderness away from the city.

This is an effective companion piece to first season's "Hunters", and
probably takes place not too long after it. Janette is appropriately attired
in the sort of habit an upper-class lady would wear for a fox hunt. The
guys are in essentially the same style they've been wearing for half a
century; they're finally due for a change in the next decade or so.

San Francisco, California, 1850

Avenging Angel - Nick is angered at
the abuse a Chinese man heaps on his concubine. After threatening the man
with death should he abuse her again, Nick offers her shelter. The women
rejects Nick's offers and returns to her Master. When her master beats
her so badly that she is mortally wounded, Nick stalks and kills him in
a rage. LaCroix, meanwhile, finishes off the dying woman as a late-night
snack.

From around 1830 to 1860, the changes in men's clothing are fairly subtle,
and unless they give you a really good view of the clothing, it's hard
to tie it down. Since the only woman's dress we see it Chinese, that doesn't
help either (where is Janette when you need her?) However, Nick is definitely
wearing a frock coat out of heavy fabric with a fur collar and a high stiff
collar and neck-tie which place it between 1830-1860. The script says 1850,
Chinatown, San Francisco.

Crimean War, 1853

Night In Questions - LaCroix is a little
careless in his choice of victims, when he preys on the dying during a
battle, and ends up with a stake in his chest. Unable to remove it himself,
LaCroix is reduced to asking for Nick's help. Nick agrees, but only after
forcing LaCroix to let him go his own way.

The uniform that LaCroix is wearing is that of a French Hussar. In fact
it looks exactly like the one in a book that states the year as 1853. The
same as the script. A-maz-ing. Since this was the year the Crimean war
started, and we all know how LaCroix loves a good war, I'd say that nails
this one down.

South Carolina, c. 1855-1860

The Fire Inside - Nick, LaCroix,
and Janette find shelter for the day in an abandoned farmhouse on a hunting
trip, and discover runaway slaves are hiding in the basement. Nick protects
them from LaCroix and Janette who see them as a threat. When slave hunters
arrive , Nick continues to protect them and whammies the hunters into believing
they've gone towards Charlotte. But that night they come back, realizing
Nick lied, and set the house on fire. LaCroix and Janette fly to safety,
but Nick helps the slaves out, and destroys the hunter.

I have placed this one between 1855 and 1860 for several reasons. First
we know that Nick and LaCroix were in the Crimean War in 1853. They had
to have a little time to change continents. Secondly, the Underground Railroad
was active between 1830 and 1861. When the Civil War broke out, I guess
things got a little tough to keep going. Third, we find Nick serving as
a doctor during the Civil War. These factors put very definite bookends
on the possible time during which this flashback could have occurred. Since
Nick misdirects the slave hunters to Charlotte, I suspect they are in South
Carolina.

American South, c. 1861-1862

Unreality TV - Nick is a working as
a doctor with the Union army. Sullivan, a photographer, shows him some
strange prints--pictures of a clearly airborne LaCroix preying on the wounded
as the battle moved on. Nick fails to convince the young man to destroy
the plates and forget what he saw, and the Enforcers arrive to kill Sullivan.
They have LaCroix in custody at the end of the flashback sequence; we don't
know how he got away.

Piece of cake, even without Janette-dating, just because the Civil War
was relatively short. Sullivan has one line referring to "the run", which
is a common Southern term for creek or river, but which can also be taken
as referring to Bull Run. There were actually two battles there in 1861
and 1862. (Thanks to Paula Sanders for her sharp ears on this one!)

France, 1867

The Fix - Nick in desperation turns
to the "Resurrection Doctor" to help him find a cure. The Doctor, however,
has other plans and after draining him of enough blood to weaken him, binds
him for further experiments. He sees Nick as his ticket to fame and fortune,
and plans to cash in. LaCroix and Janette, however, come to Nick's rescue
and kill the doctor.

Thanks to Diane Echelbarger, we can determine the year. Janette's dress
is almost an exact replica of one seen in the Wisconsin Historical Society,
dated 1867. Not only that, the oval hoop was only in style for about two
years. However, the place is not so easy. We only know that the "Resurrection
Doctor" left England. I tend to think it's France, after all, it is home.

American Southwest, c. 1870-1880

The Code - Nick, traveling on his own,
is rescued by a fellow traveler from a thief. Over the fire, they exchange
stories and drinks. It's only when Nick falls into a paralyzed stupor that
he realizes his "new friend" is a bounty hunter, who's poisoned him with
curare. Before the bounty hunter can take advantage of the situation, LaCroix
turns up and dispatches him to an early grave. Once again LaCroix' obsessive
behavior saves Nick's life.

I place this one between 1870 and 1880 because the "Old West" as depicted
here points to the late 18th century. Not only that, Nick had to get back
to England by 1883 to do the Sherlock Holmes thing in Blind Faith. Furthermore
I suspect he stayed and helped out throughout the Civil War before heading
west, which limits the amount of time he could have spent hanging out in
the sagebrush. It's really hard to pinpoint a place when all we get to
see is a campsite somewhere in the west. Let's just say it's the southwest.
It looked pretty barren.

Croyden, England, 1883

Blind Faith - Arthur Conon Doyle joins
the list of historical figures that cross Nick's path. All
because LaCroix has had a Carouche turn Nick's faithful dog into a deadly
killer in yet another attempt to force Nick to come to terms with who and
what he is. In the end, Nick destroys Raleigh, and Doyle gets the idea for
a story (Hounds of the Baskervilles).

The script tells us this takes place in Croyden England in 1883. Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle was born in 1859, so that would make him 24, which fits
with the way the actor played the part.

London, 1888

Bad Blood - LaCroix, incapacitated
by the tainted blood of a depraved East End barber, urges Nick to make
sure the job is finished. Nick leaves the man, who is later revealed to
be Jack the Ripper, alone and he wakens as a vampire.

It is unclear whether we are meant to think LaCroix brought over the
Ripper before, after, or in the midst of the Whitechapel murders of August-November
1888. My pet theory is that it ended the nearly two-month lull before the
particularly grisly "double event" that marked the Ripper's farewell...to
London, at least.

Paris, c. 1890

Love You to Death - Nick has fallen
in love from afar with ballerina Sylvaine Rochet, seeing her as an "angel"
of purity. LaCroix convinces him that she is really a whore and Nick kills
her, then learns that LaCroix tricked him.

Circumstances point to this as Nick's last kill, and he stated in "Cherry
Blossoms" that he had killed no one for a hundred years. (It's also worth
noting, for the sake of tracking Nick's moral development, that he has
had a "code" for the previous 300 years of killing only the "guilty".)
Costuming provides further clues to the period, and the custom of the ballerina
receiving visitors in her dressing room suggests the Paris Opera, where
the foyer de danse and sometimes performers' private dressing rooms had
the reputation of being the place to find a fashionable mistress.

New Orleans, 1890

Hearts of Darkness - Vachon is attracted
to Urs, a beautiful chanteuse, but his compliments cause her current lover
to treat her abusively. Vachon, ever the gentleman vampire, kills him when
he threatens Urs. When Urs realizes what Vachon is, she begs him to help
her by drinking his fill and killing her. Vachon does, sort of. She's just
too beautiful to kill, and he brings her across, much to her dismay.

After 1880 woman's evening wear was elaborate with décolleté
necklines and short sleeves. Bustles were smaller and skirts were draped.
Urs' dress certainly matches the description. Without the script, however,
I wouldn't be able to name a location (besides a bar). They tell us it
is New Orleans.

Titanic, Atlantic Ocean, 1912

Black Buddha, Part 1 - Nick is accosted
by Claire Gibson, who is seeking a vampire to give her eternal life. In
return, she promises him the Black Buddha, which will give him what he
wants most. But when the Titanic begins to sink, Claire believes it is
the Buddha's fault and would rather die than live with the knowledge she
was responsible for so many deaths. The question is, did Nick bring her
across anyway, or is that just his dream fantasy?

Since the flashback takes place aboard the Titanic, the time frame is
limited to the one and only voyage the Titanic made, ending on April 14-15,
1912 when it sank approximately 1600 miles from New York. What I want to
know is how did Nick escape?

San Francisco, 1916

Cherry Blossoms - Mai, a Chinatown
acupuncturist, attempts to cure Nick's craving for blood. LaCroix and Janette
arrive to taunt him while he is paralyzed by the needles, and LaCroix kills
Mai when she returns to the room, witnessed by her little son.

At last, Nick tells us the year, by reminding Janette of it when she
comes to rescue him in the present. It's not a period that particularly
suits her, or anyone else; but give the designer responsible, Paul Poiret,
credit for getting us out of the corsets and yards and yards of useless
stuff.

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1916

Strings - Nick is caught up in the
politics of the Russian court when he sides with Czar Nicholas against
Alexandra and her odd holy man Rasputin. Turns out that LaCroix has made
Rasputin a vampire just for grins, and Nick is the one that gets to kill
him. The Czar decides that maybe Nick isn't someone he wants around, when
he learns his true nature.

Well, let's see, we have Rasputin along with Nicholas and Alexandra.
Yeah, it's St. Petersburg, Russia, just before the Russian Revolution.
The script dates it as 1916. Works for me.

European Frontier, c. 1918-1919

Jane Doe - A chance encounter with
Hitler on a train, intrigues LaCroix. Hitler's evil is so delicious that
LaCroix thinks he would make an excellent vampire. Nick is revolted and
wants no part of it, and tells him to kill him rather than amplify his
evil. But when the moment comes, something about Hitler, makes LaCroix
change his mind.

Another historical figure, this time it's young Adolph Hitler. (Sounds
sort of like a bad young Indiana Jones, doesn't it?) Placing it, is a little
tough, since they are on a moving train, and nobody tells us the destination.
The script simply says the European Frontier, I'd like to think its either
Germany or Austria.

Egypt, c. 1921-1924

Faithful Followers - Thomas, a fellow
vampire who also claims to be in search of a cure, convinces Nick to bring
a noted linguist to his dig. When he does, Thomas kills the woman, the
subject of wager with LaCroix.

Seems to be after the Tutankhamun discovery prompted a boom in the population
of European archaeologists of varying degrees of qualification, but before
the Egyptian government started effectively watchdogging them. The lady
scholar's clothing would be considered quite conservative in the 20s, in
keeping with the need to maintain a respectable image in a man's profession.

Paris, c. 1918-1920

Baby Baby - Nick is intrigued, and
then willingly seduced by Serena. She speaks poetically of her desires,
and Nick believes she wants eternity, when what she really wanted was someone
to father a child, and then go his way. The morning after was really a
bummer for both of them.

This is fairly easy to place. Serena tells us she has been looking all
over Paris for the perfect man. The clothing that her pregnant friend is
wearing in the flashback are very typical of the flapper era.

Paris and Toronto, c. 1921-1925

Father's Day - Janette puts Nick in
contact with a mortal mob figure who smuggles him to Canada, then regrets
it and gives LaCroix the same information in order to find Nick.

Janette's bobbed hair and risqué party dress seem to place us
at the height of the Jazz Age; however, since they are in Paris and Janette
has never been one to miss the cutting edge of style, it may be as early
as 1921.

London, c. 1941-43

Father Figure - The Gleesome Threesome
takes in Daniel, a war orphan who tries to steal Janette's purse. When
LaCroix plants suspicion regarding Janette's motives in adopting him, Nick
convinces the boy to leave. Later he returns to find Daniel back and a
vampire.

No Janette-dating necessary, although it helps pinpoint the most likely
years. The "Blitz" occurred through 1941, making it a good bet; but bombing
of London did continue for some time, and everyone in the flashback seems
somewhat accustomed to it.

Lyon, France, 1942

Outside The Lines - As part of the French resistance during WWII, Nick struggles to
determine who the traitor's in their midst are. Allowing his emotions
to cloud his judgement, Nick kills Giroux, and then later Marie-Claire
believing both are traitors. When LaCroix points out valid
reasons for their actions, Nick realizes he will never know the truth
and regrets (once again) his actions.

This one is easy, too. World War II in occupied France. The script
narrows this one down to 1942, Lyon France.

Toronto, c. 1949-1953

Forward Into The Past - Nick uses his
vampire contacts to help a young widow named Katherine Barrington disappear
and start a new life to escape her husband's murderer.

There is a small glitch with this one, as Nick says he met the Barringtons
in London in the 50s and that they moved back to Toronto "after the war".
If you pretend he said 40s, everything is fine. Since this is the same
ep with the now-infamous "Battle of Hastings" comment that amounts to Nick
claiming to be at least 150 years older than he his, I don't feel too bad
about fudging another line by a decade in light of the way it fits much
better before the 1954 sequences than after.

Chicago, 1954

Spin Doctor - While teaching archaeology
at the University of Chicago, Nick faces a McCarthy hearing. His efforts
to defend his character are in vain when investigators discover the blood
in his refrigerator. Appropriately, this sequence is shot in black and
white, almost as if it were contemporary news footage.

Again, Nick tells us the year and city, when showing Natalie his desk
nameplate in the closing minutes of the episode.

East Berlin, 1966

1966 - Nick seeks an ancient Sanskrit
manuscript called the Abbarat in a Berlin library, hoping that it contains
a cure for his curse. He agrees to help the night custodian of the library
and the man's son and daughter escape to West Germany in exchange for their
help in finding the book.

Couldn't get more obvious, as the date and place are stated clearly
in the episode, which is mostly flashback. This was my freebie. :-)

Chicago, c. 1964-1968

Amateur Night - Nick decides he wants
to be a policeman, and he wants it NOW. So he whammies his way past the
academy and onto patrol where his actions put his partner in danger. Nick
then realizes that maybe there might be something to academy training, and
decides to go back and do it by the rules.

Well, clothes didn't even come into it. How do you determine a time
frame when everyone is wearing that timeless Chicago police uniform. But
it didn't hurt that Nick and his partner inspected a "Classic Ford Mustang"
on their patrol. That style was produced only between 1964 and 1968. They
also had a nicely placed picture of President Lyndon Johnson on the precinct
wall to back this up.

Chicago, 1968

Beyond The Law - Nick (having gotten
his academy training) is now a policeman moonlighting as a security officer
at the Democratic National Convention. Candidate Thomas Gardiner abuses
his power by raping Angela Moser, who works on his campaign. When she hangs
herself, Gardiner is unable to control the spin, and eventually gives up
his candidacy to avoid the scandal. Nick is really quite pleased at the
outcome, and I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't do a little manipulating
to get it.

I dated this one based on the fact that the Democratic National Convention
in 1968 was held in Chicago. The narrow ties and jacket lapels match the
time frame as well. I also realized watching this show that Lisa Ryder
has the dubious distinction of being killed twice on Forever Knight.

Bin Loc, Vietnam, 1971

Can't Run, Can't Hide - While Nick
is working as a Red Cross medic, a unit of American soldiers called the
"Clean-Up Crew" wipes out a village where he has just immunized the children.
LaCroix finds and brings over a survivor, who seeks revenge on the soldiers.

Toronto, 1990

Only the Lonely - Natalie is a little
shocked when her latest "patient," Nick, sits up growling and proceeds
to slurp down a bag of blood from her lab cooler. Later, Nick tries unsuccessfully
to frighten her off and she convinces him to let her try to help him regain
his mortality.

Jumping back to Nat's 28th birthday from her 30th. The outdoor scenes
are probably the night after their initial meeting in the lab. Nick has
at least had time to clean up and change clothes; dialogue found in the
Canadian cut tells us he did try to make her forget about him and
was checking up on her, which if he had any sense (yes, I know that's questionable
sometimes!) he would do as soon as possible, before her knowledge could
start causing trouble.

Toronto, 1990-1995

Close Call - Schanke recalls all the
really weird things Nick has said and done during their partnership,
leading him to the inevitable conclusion that his partner is...a vampire.

This is the only episode that features Schanke's flashbacks, and they are
very easy to date. All of them take place after he and Nick became partners.
You would think he would have clued in sooner that something about Nick
just wasn't right. But maybe he couldn't, until he had a "real" flashback.

Montreal, 1995

Human Factor - Janette goes to Montreal
to avoid becoming infected by Nick's search for humanity and mortality.
It backfires big time when she meets Robert McDonagh and falls in love.
She reveals her true nature to him, and as they make love over time, she
is able to take less and less. When he is shot and killed in front of her,
Janette is unable to bring him across and something very unusual happens--she
regains her mortality.

This is easy, since it's Janette's flashback of the last few months
that she has spent in Montreal after leaving to rid herself of the "desire
for humanity" infection. What she finds instead is her mortality. Talk
about a cruel twist of fate. Poor Nick.

Dream/Fantasy

Dying For Fame - Music-video style
imagery that underlines Nick's empathy for Rebecca, the rock star so lonely
she confesses to a murder she didn't commit in an attempt to escape the
spotlight.

Dream/Fantasy

Feeding the Beast - Nick stands in
a dream-skewed version of the 12-step meeting room, confessing to his vampirism
and confronted by LaCroix urging him to kill his program sponsor Monica.
In another sequence, the diner where he eats the famous french fries suddenly
seems to be filled with laughing vampires, with Janette as a nightmarish
pink-uniformed waitress. Both sequences appeared only the in the Canadian
cut.

Sheer Fantasy

Stranger Than Fiction - Various characters
imagine themselves in the story as they read Emily Weiss' popular vampire
novel; the resulting scenes are always amusing and often quite telling.

Virtual Un...Reality

Games Vampires Play - Nick plays a
game in virtual reality to find a killer. And the game becomes highly addictive
as he must kill and keep killing to find the clues.

Multiple Flashbacks

Last Knight - As Nick contemplates
what to do when his life comes crashing down around him, he remembers pivotal
events in his life. They are included here in order of appearance(s)
(1) Last Act
(2) Only the Lonely
(3) Dead of Night
(4) Black Buddha
(5) Be My Valentine
(6) Black Buddha
(7) Human Factor
(8) For I have Sinned